Glass bending mold



July 23, 1963 H. J. LITTLE GLASS BENDING MOLD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May28, 1959 I rrair/vz/s',

July 23, 1963 H. J- LITTLE 3,0 8

GLASS BENDING MOLD Filed May 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \NvP.

INVENTOR. cjJ/ifZ/e $398,736 Patented July 23, 1963 3,098,736 GLASSBENDING MOLD Harvey J. Little, Trenton, Mich, assignor to ChryslerCorporation, Highland Park, Mieln, a corporation of Delaware Filed May28, 1959, Ser. No. 816,580 Claims. (Cl. 65-291) This invention relatesto a glass bending mold and particularly to a sectionalized bending moldhaving end or wing sections pivotally connected to a relatively fixedcenter section and interconnected with each other.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a glass bending moldwith pivotally mounted end or wing sections wherein there is a novelmeans for applying weights to and interconnecting the spaced apart endor wing sections.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel means forapplying weights to the pivotally mounted end or wing sections of asectionalized mold such that the 1 weight means will be most effectiveto cause closing of the mold end sections as the glass supported thereonsoftens.

It is another object of this invention to arrange the 1 weight means sothat it will be continuously positioned where it will not interfere withaccess to the mold or with movement of the mold through a bending leeror conveyor equipment.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a novel weightsupporting means for the pivotally mounted end or wing sections of asectionalized bending mold such that equal weight means will 'be appliedto each of the end sections and the weight supporting means will tend tosynchronize the movement of the pivotally mounted end sections.

It is a further object of this invention toprovide a weight supportingmeans for the pivotally mounted wing sections of a sectionalized bendingmold that includes means for readily adjusting the location of theseveral weight means and their points of application to the pivotallymounted wing sections to effect pivoting movement thereof.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a simplified formof actuating means for the pivoted wing sections of a sectionalized moldthat will facilitate more accurate control of the movement of the wingsections and also require less care in the loading of the mold and inmovement of the mold through a bending leer.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readilyapparent from a reading of the following description and areconsideration of the related drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a bending mold embodying this invention inopen position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the mold shown in FIG. 1 in closedposition;

7 FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mold shown in FIG. 2

with the glass sheet removed therefrom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one of thepivot connections between the wing sections and the center section, theview showing those portions of the mold within the circle 4 of FIG. 2.;and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the pivot connectionshown in FIG. 4.

The drawings show a glass bending mold M that is attached to a carriageC to facilitate its passage through a bending leer not shown. Mold M isof the sectionalized type and includes a stationary central orintermediate supporting section 10 that has end or wing sections 11, 12pivotally connected to its opposite ends. The fixed or stationary centersection 10 of this bending mold includes the vertical, transverselyspaced, narrow rail-s 1011 that are interconnected by the diagonallyextending tie rods 1%. The top edges of the spaced rails 1th: provideportions of the shaping surfaces that support and con- .trol the shapeof the glass bent on the mold. The opposite ends of the rails 10a eachare mounted on a leg or support 13. Legs 13 can be fixedly or detachablyconnected to the framework C that provides the carriage or base for themold M. Struts 14 extend between legs 13 and base C to rigidify themounting of the legs 13 on the carriage C.

Wing or end sections 11, 12 are identical and each consists of aU-shaped, vertically extending rail or 12a that has tie rods 11b or 12brespectively extending between the opposed leg portions of the U-shapedend frames. As the wing sections 11, 12 are identical only the wingsection 11 will be described in detail. Wing section 11 has L-shapedlever arms 15, 15 fixed to each of its free end portions. The lever arms15 have bores theret-hrough to receive the pivot shaft 16 that extendsacross and is mounted on the ends of the spaced center section rails111a. FIGS. 3 and 5 give a clear plan view of the arrangement of thelevers 15 with respect to the pivot shafts 16.

The free ends of the levers 15 are formed with a plurality of holes 17to provide for adjustable mounting of the weight supporting links 18.Links 18 are connected to the lever arms 15 by the pivot pins 19 thatcan be peened over to prevent unintended disengagement from the leverarm 15 and the links 18. The lower ends of the links 18 are connected bypivot pins 20 to the flattened ends of the wing connector bars 21.

Connector bars 21 extend between the lever links 18 at each end of themold M along each side thereof. The connector bars 21 are each providedwith a plurality of spaced apart bores 22 to provide for the adjustablemounting of one or more weights 25 on the bars 21. Bolts 35 or any otherform of attachment means can be mounted in the bores 22 to attach theweights 25 to the connector bars 21. It is also proposed to form thebars 21 such that they will provide integral weight means. Also, thebars 21 can be formed of interconnected sections so that they may beadjustable in length to fit different molds or different glass patterns.

FIG. 4 shows a means provided on the mold M for limiting the amount ofbending of the wing sections 11, 12. This means comprises a L-shapedbracket 28 that is welded to the end of the rail 10a adjacent the leg13. Brackets 28 each mount a vertically extending set-screw 29 that isaligned beneath the associated lever 15 so that it will engage the lever15 and limit the amount of closing of the wing section associatedtherewith. Lock nuts 30 are provided to fix the setting of the screw 29.

From the foregoing description and a consideration of the drawings itwill be noted that when the mold is in open position (see FIG. 1) theflat sheet of glass G is supported at four points along its length bythe opened mold. The major portion of the weight of the glass G issupported by the ends of the rails a of the fixed or center section 10of the mold M as indicated at 32. A portion of the weight of the glass Gmay also be supported by the tips of the depressed or opened wingsections as shown at 33. It will be noted that when the mold M is openedto receive the glass G that there are no weight means projecting abovethe surface of the glass G to interfere with the loading of the glassonto the mold M. In contrast the levers l5 and the connected links 18provide short, upwardly projecting portions that serve as locators orpositioners tofacilitate accurate loading of the mold with sheet glassbut do not obstruct movement of the glass onto the mold.

'As the mold M of FIG. 1 is moved through a bending leer and the glass Gbegins to soften the Weights 25 acting through the links 18 apply equalloadings to the free ends of the levers and exert forces on the Wings11,

12 that assist in bending the glass G to the concave shape shown in FIG.2. Not only does the lever and link system 15, 18 lend itself toapplication of equal bending forces to the wing sections 11, 12 but inaddition the connector bars 21 tend to synchronize the bending action of'the wing sections to facilitate the production of symmetment set screws29 also assist in controlling the type of bending of the wings when thismold is used.

Not only are the adjustable links 18 of an advantage for bending but in"addition the connector bars 21 cooperate withthe pivot links 18 tofurther improve the action as well as the flexibility of this mold.Connector bars 21 not only tend to synchronize the hinging action of themold wings but in addition they provide a means for placing of thebending weights in a preferred nonobstructing position where the Weightswill not interfere with either mold loading or movement of the moldthrough a leer on a conventional conveyor system.

Another feature of this invention resides in the use of heat robber barsor heat absorbers such as the metal bars 40 and 41 shown in broken linesin FIG. 3. These bars are connected to or mounted on the tie rods 10]),11b and 12b so that they underlie the glass G. The purpose of these barsis to absorb a portion of the heat in the area of the bars and therebykeep the glass overlying the bars cooler than the glass at othersections of the mold to thereby retard the bending of the glass at theportions thereof overlying the heat absorber bars. Obviously otherdevices such as heat shields, heat reflectors and the like can also beused with the mold G in place of the heat robbers 40, 41 but thesedevices 40, 41 are a simple effecof the mold and to thus be out of theway yet not extend downwardly so far as to interfere with the carriage Cor the conveyor mechanism (not shown) on which the carriage C would betransported. The free pivot pins 19, on opposite ends of the lever links18 permit automatic centering of the weighted connector bars 21 betweenthe wing lever arms 15 regardless of whether the wing sections are inopen or closed positions.

I claim:

1. A ring-type glass bending mold comprising an intermediate fixedsection and a pair of upwardly curved, vertivally swinging, wingsections pivotally mounted on the opposite ends of said fixed sectionfor movement between depressed open mold and elevated closed moldpositions,

said wing sections being arranged to form with said fixed section alongitudinally concave, ring-type, shaping surface when said wingsections are in their uppermost closed mold positions, said wingsections when moved to their depressed, open mold positions providingmeans wherein the opposite ends of the mold fixed section support theglass sheet to be bent on the mold and the wing sections are disposedbeneath the end portions of the glass sheet mounted on the fixedsection, lever means rigidly fixed on each of said mold wing sectionsand extending longitudinally of and inwardly towards and beyond thepivot axis of the associated wing section on said fixed mold section,link means pivotally connected to and depending from the inwardlydisposed free end portions of the lever means on each wing section, anda weighted connector bar pivotally connected to, floatingly supported byand extending between the lower ends of the longitudinally spaced linkmeans at a level beneath the mold open position glass supporting level.

2. A ring-type glass bending mold comprising an intermediate fixedsection and a pair of upwardly curved, vertically swinging, wingsections pivotally mounted on the opposite ends of said fixed sectionfor movement between depressed open mold and elevated closed moldpositions, said wing sections being arranged to form with said fixedsection a longitudinally concave, ring-type, shaping surface when saidwing sections are in their uppermost closed mold positions, said wingsections being movable to depressed, open mold positions wherein theopposite ends thereof are substantially aligned with the level of themold fixed section and the wing sections are dis posed beneath the endportions of the glass sheet mounted on the mold, lever means rigidlyfixed on each of said mold wing sections and pivotally supported on theopposite ends of said fixed section, said lever means 'extendinglongitudinally of and inwardly towards and beyond the pivot axis oftheassociated wing'section on said fixed mold section, link meanspivotally connected to and depending from the inwardly disposed freeends of the lever means on each wing section, and a weighted connectorbar pivotally connected to, floatingly supported .by and extendingbetween the lower ends of the spaced link means at a level beneath themold fixed section.

3. A ring-type glass bendingmold comprising a center fixed sectionformed from a pair of transversely spaced, vertically extending,interconnected, narrow rails, and a pair of U-shaped, upwardly curved,vertically swinging, wing sections having their free ends pivotallymounted on 'the ends of said fixed section for movement betweendepressed open mold and elevated closed mold positions, said wingsections being arranged to form with said'fixed section rails alongitudinally concave, ring-type, shaping surface when said wingsections are in their uppermost closed mold positions, said wingsections being movable to depressed, open mold positions wherein theopposite ends of the mold fixed section support the glass sheet to bebent on the mold and the wing sections are disposed beneath the endportions of the supported glass sheet with the tips of the wing sectionsengagea-ble with the underside of the glass sheet at the ends thereof,lever means rigidly fixed to each of said mold wing sections andpivotally supported on said fixed sections, said lever means extendinglongitudinally of and inwardly beyond the pivot axis of the associatedwing section on said fixed mold section, link means pivotally connectedto and depending from the inwardly disposed free ends of the lever meanson each wing section, and a weighted connector pivotally connected to,fioatingly supported by and extending between the lower ends of the linkmeans on the wing sections at opposite ends of the mold with theWeighted connector positioned at a level beneath the mold open positionglass supporting level.

4. In a glass bending mold as set forth in claim 3 wherein the free endsof the lever means are arranged for adjustable connection of the linkmeans therealong.

5. Ina glass bending mold as set forth in claim 3 Wherein said connectorbar comprises a bar with means thereon for adjustably positioning weightmeans therealong.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS P-fauJan. 11, 1916 Ferngren Mar. 18, 1930 Dunipace Mar. 14, 1950 Clough Oct.27, 1953

1. A RING-TYPE GLASS BENDING MOLD COMPRISING AN INTERMEDIATE FIXEDSECTION AND A PAIR OF UPWARDLY CURVED, VERTICALLY SWINGING, WINGSECTIONS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIXED SECTIONFOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN DEPRESSED OPEN MOLD AND ELEVATED CLOSED MOLDPOSITIONS, SAID WING SECTIONS BEING ARRANGED TO FORM WITH SAID FIXEDSECTION A LONGITUDINALLY CONCAVE, RING-TYPE, SHAPING SURFACE WHEN SAIDWING SECTIONS ARE IN THEIR UPPERMOST CLOSED MOLD POSITIONS, SAID WINGSECTIONS WHEN MOVED TO THEIR DEPRESSED, OPEN MOLD POSITIONS PROVIDINGMEANS WHEREIN THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE MOLD FIXED SECTION SUPPORT THEGLASS SHEET TO BE BENT ON THE MOLD AND THE WING SECTIONS ARE DISPOSEDBENEATH THE END PORTIONS OF THE GLASS SHEET MOUNTED ON THE FIXEDSECTION, LEVER MEANS RIGIDLY FIXED ON EACH OF SAID MOLD WING SECTIONSAND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF AND INWARDLY TOWARDS AND BEYOND THEPIVOT AXIS OF THE ASSOCIATED WING SECTION ON SAID FIXED MOLD SECTION,LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO AND DEPENDING FROM THE INWARDLYDISPOSED FREE END PORTIONS OF THE LEVER MEANS ON EACH WING SECTION, ANDA WEIGHTED CONNECTOR BAR PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO, FLOATINGLY SUPPORTED BYAND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER ENDS OF THE LONGITUDINALLY SPACED LINKMEANS AT A LEVEL BENEATH THE MOLD OPEN POSITION GLASS SUPPORTING LEVEL.